


The Queen's Thief

by MackenzieW



Series: In Any Universe (OQ Prompt Party) [6]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Enchanted Forest, F/M, Life Debt, Lust, OQ Prompt Party 2018, Pre-Relationship, Servants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 06:04:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14074515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MackenzieW/pseuds/MackenzieW
Summary: When Regina rescues a man from an icy river, she tells him he owes her a debt and makes him use his skills as a thief for her own purpose. Robin, though, comes to enjoy working for the queen and one day, asks her for a very special reward.





	The Queen's Thief

**Author's Note:**

> Based on prompt #6: Robin owes the Queen a debt so she has made him her servant til it is repaid.

“We’re already two days behind schedule,” Regina huffed, stuffing her hands further into the black fur muff she had resting on her lap. She glanced out the window at the snow-covered trees that stretched on for endless miles, as if imprisoning her.

      Daddy leaned forward from where he sat across from her, patting her arm. “Relax, Regina. If the blizzard delayed you, it also no doubt delayed Snow White as well.”

      “But if we can move at last, so can she. I will not have her slipping out of my grasp yet again,” she declared as the carriage came to a halt. Anger and annoyance flared through her and she clenched her jaw. “What now?”

            “I don’t know but I will find out,” he said, opening the door. A blast of cold air filled the carriage as he stepped out and Regina pulled the blanket covering her legs tighter to ward off the chill.

            She leaned closer to the partially open door, trying to see what was going on. All she could see were snow drifts as high as their horses’ knees and the back of her father as he spoke with two of her guards. Regina stomped her feet to keep them warm and the blood flowing, hoping they would be on their way soon.

            “Well? What’s the hold up?” she yelled, unable to wait anymore as the trio of men whispered without her.

            The guards bowed their heads and stepped back, leaving Daddy to tell her whatever the bad news was. She watched her father approach, looking apprehensive. “The bridge, Regina…it’s out. We can’t continue.”

            She stared at him, dumbstruck, before her anger fueled a fire that threatened to consume her and everyone traveling with her. “What do you mean the bridge is out?”

            “The snows were too heavy for it and it collapsed into the icy river below. We can’t cross that either as it’s not entire frozen over,” Daddy explained.

Regina climbed down from the carriage, her boots sinking into the snow. She stormed past her father and her useless guards, approaching the river they were too afraid to cross. Broken pieces of wood littered the riverbank and she saw some floating in the icy water, which was also fast moving. It truly seemed impassable.

            “If I can put the bridge back together,” she said, turning to the nearest guard, “will you cross over it then?”

            The guard nodded. “Of course, Your Majesty.”

            She smirked, turning back to the river. “Then get some water for the horses and be prepared to move in about ten minutes.”

            Raising her hands, Regina concentrated her power to reconstruct the bridge. Pieces of wood flew from various locations and stitched themselves back together, forming a sturdy structure people could walk on and her carriage could roll over to the other side. Even if Snow managed to leave, she wouldn’t get far and Regina would finally have her.

            However, only half of the bridge rebuilt itself. It left a big gap between where the planks ended and the road on the other side of the river. There was no way her carriage could make such a jump and the water was too fast to chance fording the rest of the way. She scowled, realizing that too many pieces of the bridge had been washed down stream. It was possible for her to try and pull them back, but it would require too much energy and was no guarantee. Yet each passing moment meant that Snow was getting further and further away from her. Regina had no choice but to try it.

            She concentrated, funneling all of her energy to her magic and used the hatred for Snow to fuel the spell. Beads of sweat gathered at her hairline and she felt as if she were on fire. A few additional pieces flew from downstream and joined the rest of the bridge, which she took as a good sign. The bridge would be completed in no time.

            “Regina!” she heard Daddy exclaim. “Regina, stop! You’re draining yourself and could kill yourself! The bridge is not worth it!”

            “I…need…to…get…Snow…White!” she said, grunting even as she felt her knees start to buckle.

            Daddy grabbed her, causing her to break her concentration. They crumpled to the ground as she screamed her frustration. “I can’t let her go!”

            “Well, I can’t lose you,” he said, holding her close. “You’ll get her another day. I promise you that.”

            Realizing how it must look to have her lying in her father’s arms, almost near tears, Regina pushed him away. She stood up, though she wobbled a bit. “Fine. We’ll turn around and head back to the palace. Understood?” she snapped at the nearest guard.

            He nodded and everyone hurried to turn the carriage around before she climbed in. She cast one look again at her partially completed bridge and waved her hand, letting all the pieces fall into the river again. If she couldn’t cross it, then neither could Snow White.

            Before she turned back, she noticed something in the water. It appeared to be a misshapen log or a piece of ice. Still, something drew her attention to it and when she looked closer, she realized it was a man. He was caught in the powerful current and appeared to be clinging to a log to try to keep his head above the water. As he spotted them, he reached his hand to them. “Please…help me,” he said, voice hoarse yet understandable.

            Regina knew she should just leave him to the mercy of the river and return back to her palace. She had used too much power as it was trying to rebuild the bridge. Any more and she could pass out in the snow. It was a sign of weakness she could not let anyone—especially her guards—see.

            Yet she found herself using her magic to pull the man toward the river bank. She approached it as she did it, though she felt herself growing weaker. Regina sank down to her knees, reaching out to pull him onto the shore. He collapsed onto his back, breathing heavily as he stared at the sky.

            “Regina!” Daddy cried, sliding down the embankment toward her. “Regina, are you alright?”

She nodded, though her vision swam and her head was spinning. “I’m fine. That fool over there is not. Apparently tried to go for a swim in the icy river.”

            “What do you want to do with him, Your Majesty?” one of her guards asked, poking at the man with his toes.

            “I want you to carry him to my carriage,” she replied, glaring at him. “I didn’t rescue him just to leave him to freeze to death on the riverbank.”

            The guard nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

            Daddy helped her up, steadying her as he guided her back to the carriage. There was a glint in his eyes and a smile tugged on his lips, which irritated her. “Why are you so happy?” she asked, snapping at him.

            “You saved that man,” he replied. “You didn’t have to but you did. There’s still good in you.”

            She tensed up at those words, hearing Rumple’s voice inside her head. _You’re going soft, Regina. You’re showing weakness. And you know what happens when you show weakness…_

            “I might have a purpose for him,” she told her father, trying her best to sound indifferent. “It’s always good to have people indebted to you.”

            As she climbed into the carriage, Daddy sighed. “Yes, I suppose so.”

            Her guards laid the man on the seat across from her and she wrapped him in the blanket that had been covering her legs. Daddy also placed the footwarmer by him and the slowly warmed him up as her carriage rolled back toward the palace. Though he never woke up during their trip, his skin began to regain its color and the blue drained from his lips. He no longer shivered and his breathing evened out, meaning he was on the road to recovery.

            Regina leaned back and started to figure out ways he could be very useful to her, smiling at each scenario. She was going to have fun with this one, she just knew it.

*****

            Robin’s entire body felt stiff and sore as he came to, feeling wrapped in warmth. The last thing he remembered was trying to swing across the river in order to escape from an irate baker he had just liberated a few loafs of bread from. But the rope hadn’t been able to hold his weight, snapping and plunging Robin through the thin ice. He got caught in the current and ended up struggling to keep his head above water. The coldness of the water made it feel like a thousand arrows were being shot at him and it felt as if his limbs were turning to stone, weighing him down. Drowsiness took over him and he had a dim memory of grabbing onto a piece of driftwood just before everything went dark.

            He briefly wondered if he was dead and that was why he felt so warm. Then he figured that if he were dead, he wouldn’t feel any pain and he was definitely feeling something. He opened his eye, finding himself in a small room with one single window and a single door. Besides the cot he was lying on, there was a nightstand with a pitcher and ewer as well as a towel and a bar of soap resting on it. There was also a chest and a simple chair and table in the small space.

            Sitting up, he winced as his body protested his movements. He wondered where he was and briefly considered that he had been arrested after being fished out of the river. Then he realized that he wouldn’t be in such a nice room or sleeping on a bed. He’d be on a bed of straw in a windowless cell with bars instead of a door. Perhaps Tuck had found him and taken him back to the monastery. At least Robin would get a decent meal and just have to put up with some propagation as the friars tried to turn him from his life as a common thief for a few days. He could do that on his head.

            Robin pushed the warm blanket back and rose to his feet. Everything still hurt and realized he was no longer wearing his clothes. Someone had changed him into a long linen nightshirt and he hoped that this time, Tuck wasn’t going to make him wear a horsehair robe as penance for his theft. If he was, Robin would just take his chances in the cold.

            The door opened and an older gentleman dressed in fine black garments entered the room. It was clear that he was not one of the friars and for a moment, Robin feared his initial thought he might be in jail was correct. He tensed up as he regarded the man, who smiled at him. “I see you are awake. How are you feeling?”

            “Sore,” Robin admitted, still feeling wary of the gentleman despite his kind brown eyes. “Where am I?”

            “You are in the Winter Palace at the behest of Her Majesty, Queen Regina,” the man replied. “I am Henry, her valet.”

            Queen Regina. Everyone in Sherwood Forest was aware of her as stories of her beauty and her cruelty had spread far from the Enchanted Forest. He knew he had been on the border of the two lands and so he guessed the river had carried him into her territory. Had the queen rescued him or was he brought to her palace for some other reason?

            “I’m sure you’re wondering why you are here. Her Majesty rescued you from the river and brought you here to recover,” Henry said with a smile.

            “The Evil Queen…save me, a commoner?” Robin asked, incredulous. “Why?”

            Henry’s smile faltered just a bit. “That’s something you will have to ask her, my boy. I’ve just been sent to see if you can be brought before her. How are you feeling?”

            “A bit wobbly but I haven’t collapsed yet,” Robin replied. “Food would also be nice and if I am to be presented to the queen, some clothes, too.”

            He motioned to the nightshirt he wore and Henry chuckled, moving toward the chest in the room. “Your clothes were soaked through with river water and so Her Majesty had them sent to the laundry. We found some clothes for you to wear now, though we had to guess your size. I apologize if they are either too small or too large.”

            “Well, I guess I’ll make do for now,” Robin said. He then rocked back and forth on his feet as he stared awkwardly at Henry. “Can I…Can I have some privacy or are you under orders to watch me dress?”

            Realization lit up Henry’s eyes and the older man chuckled. “Right, my apologies. I’ll be right outside the door if you need me.”

            Once he left, Robin clapped his hands together and pulled off the nightshirt in order to change into the outfit Henry had laid out for him. Thankfully everything ended up fitting, from the white linen shirt to black pants and matching leather vest. He found his boots under the bed, all dried out from his little swim, and he slid them on. Without a mirror, Robin could only run his fingers through his hair and hoped he looked somewhat presentable for Her Majesty.

            He opened the door and nodded to Henry, who stood next to the room. “I’m ready. Lead the way.”

            “Follow me then,” Henry said, walking down the corridor. Robin closed his door behind him and followed the man.

            They made several turns, going down several hallways before Henry approached two guards flanking a large black double door. He nodded to them and they opened the door, letting the two into Queen Regina’s throne room. Like the rest of the palace, it was all black and the room had a high vaulted ceiling. The sound of Robin’s boots hitting the marble floor echoed around the room as he approached the large obsidian throne and got his first view of the Evil Queen.

            Stories of her beauty did not do her justice, he believed. Her smooth and tan skin complemented the dark locks she had pinned into a bun at the base of her neck. Brown eyes followed him as he approached her and her plump lips, painted a dark red color, twisted into a smirk. The dark blue velvet gown she wore clung to every curve and Robin felt himself reacting as any man standing before a beautiful woman would. He clasped his hands over his pants, hoping to hide evidence of it though. It wouldn’t do to stand before her for the first time with a visible erection.

            “So, you are the man I fished out of the river,” she said, almost taunting him. “Tell me—what is your name?”

            “Robin,” he replied, “of Locksley.”

            She gave a little nod, as if she knew of the province he had once called home. “So you are from Sherwood. Tell me, how did you come to be in my lands?”

            “I think you can figure that out, Your Majesty,” he answered. “After all, you fished me out of the river, as you say.”

            “Insolence!” A guard stepped forward, raising his spear.

            Queen Regina, though, raised her hand and halted him. She motioned for him to step back as she kept her eyes on Robin. “Fair enough. So, tell me, how did you end up in the river?”

            He winced, having to admit his own folly. “I had stolen some bread and was returning to my camp. The rope I was using to swing across the river wasn’t as sturdy as it could’ve been and it snapped, plunging me through the ice below. I barely found some wood to cling to.”

            “Stole some bread,” she mused, taping her fingers against the armrest of her throne. “So you are a thief? And aside from yesterday’s little misadventure, are you a good one?”

            “Haven’t been caught yet,” he boasted, knowing his chest puffed out a bit.

            She smiled, a glint in her eyes. “Well, the way I see it, you owe me a debt for saving your life. And it just so happens that I have a need for a thief. So, Robin of Locksley, welcome to my employ.”

            He raised an eyebrow, considering his options. It was true that he did owe her a debt for saving him from an icy death but he had grown quite accustomed to being his own man. Could he suddenly answer to someone again after escaping Prince John’s army? At the same time, having a benefactor would mean that he wouldn’t have to sleep on the ground or in barns anymore nor would he have to worry about where his next meal would come from. It would also get him out of Sherwood and away from the Sheriff of Nottingham, now married to the only woman Robin had ever considered changing his ways for—Marian.

            “Robin?” Henry prompted softly. “Her Majesty is waiting for an answer.”

            “My apologies,” he said, making up his mind. He bowed to her. “It would be my honor, milady.”

            “It’s Your Majesty,” she snapped, scowling at him. “And good. I’ll be sending you on your first quest soon enough but for now, you are dismissed.”

            She waved her hand and Henry ushered Robin from the room. As he returned to his new bedroom, Robin was intrigued by the queen he now worked for and looked forward to the missions she sent him on, if only because they promised more time spent with her.

*****

            Robin found he did enjoy working for the Queen—and not just because it put a roof over his head and gave him access to regular food. The tasks she gave him were challenging, often requiring him to slip past wards and bobby traps to retrieve magical items. She never really told him what they were for but he could guess. The Queen’s desire to capture Snow White was well known even in Sherwood and he figured everything he stole played a part in her ultimate plan in bringing down her stepdaughter.

            Every time he returned successful from a mission, she would open a treasure chest filled with coins, jewels and other riches and tell him to choose his prize. Robin was amassing quite the fortune. When his debt to the queen was repaid, he would be able to start a nice life from himself—though he still spared a few coins to head down to the local tavern for some good ale and good company.

            Yet the women at the tavern paled in comparison to the beautiful queen Robin got to see on an almost daily basis. While he knew the stories of her cruelty were not exaggerated—he had witnessed a few examples firsthand himself—he still felt the “evil” title was misnomer. While she tried to hide it behind an air of regal confidence, Robin always felt sadness tinged with anger radiating off her. From what he understood from the other servants, Queen Regina was after her stepdaughter because the princess was pretty than her and was a threat to the throne but Robin knew in his gut that there was more to the story. He recognized the look of vengeance and the Queen always had it. Whatever Princess Snow White did, it was a lot more serious than just being _prettier_ than her stepmother.

            (Though Robin doubted the princess could compare to her stepmother).

            The Queen, her beauty and the mystery of her story were all Robin could think about day in and day out, except on a mission. He was absolutely captivated by her and looked forward to his missions so he could spend time with her.

            He returned the palace after another successful outing months after coming into the Queen’s employ, depositing the magical sphere into the Queens’ waiting hands. She smiled at it, storing it with her other important items before pulling out the familiar treasure chest. Queen Regina opened it and motioned to its contents. “Choose your reward, thief.”

            Emboldened by just having escaped a dragon, Robin decided to take a risk. He smirked as he told her: “You.”

            “What?” She was surprised by his words and tilted her head. “What did you say?”

            He stepped closer to her. “I am choosing you as my prize, milady. Or rather, I am choosing for you to take me to your bed and to have your way with me all night long.”

            “Is that so?” she asked, smirking again. Her eyes raked his body, a familiar hunger in them. “Do you think you can last all night long?”

            “I believe so. Especially as I’m sure there will be repeat performances until the dawn,” he replied, leaning closer to her. “Is my queen going to deny me my reward?”

            Lust smoldered in her eyes as she shook her head. “No, I suppose not.”

            She took his hand and led him into the next room, where a large four poster bed awaited them. The Queen turned and kissed him, pressing her body against his. He moaned into the kiss, wrapping his arms around her. It was everything he had dreamed of and so much more. This was going to be a night he was always going to remember, he vowed, as the Queen let him undo the laces holding her dress up. It pooled at her feet and she stepped away, revealing her gloriously naked body to Robin. His hands cupped her full breasts and he nipped at her ear. “Absolutely beautiful.”

            “You’re not so bad yourself,” she said as he trailed kisses down her neck.

            He paused, frowning in confusion. “I’m still dressed, milady, though I hope that is rectified soon.”

            She chuckled, her fingers working the laces on his vest. Her lips ghosted the shell of his ear as she whispered: “Who do you think undressed you when you first got to the palace all those months ago?”

            Robin swallowed as he let her slide the vest off his arms, the garment falling to the floor. As she worked on his shirt, he asked: “You?”

            “Yes,” she replied, nodding. “And I will admit, thief, that I was quite pleased with what I saw and perhaps I have thought of you quite a few nights.”

            It felt warmer in the room as Robin stood bare-chested before her. Her eyes sparkled in the fire’s glow and her lips begged to be kissed again. He obliged and her lips parted for him, letting his tongue inside. Robin wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up, feeling her round and firm ass against his skin. He laid her down on the bed before pulling off his pants, the only piece of clothing left between them. She watched him as he climbed onto the bed, placing his hands on either side of her as his arms held him over her.

            “Well, thief,” she said. “Are you going to take your reward?”

            He shook his head. “I’m going to let you give it to me. And hopefully, before the night is through, we are both thoroughly rewarded.”

            When the dawn broke and the two lay together, limbs tangled as their sweat-covered bodies cooled, the Queen nuzzled his neck. She pressed a kiss under his jaw and said: “Your queen is very pleased.”

            Robin slipped off to a deep sleep, also very pleased.


End file.
